Billie Tsien

Billie Tsien was born in Ithaca, New York. She received her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from Yale and her Masters in Architecture from UCLA. She has worked with Tod Williams since 1977 and in 1986 they formed the partnership of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. Tsien has taught extensively in architectural programs throughout the United States including the Parsons School of Design, Harvard University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University. Current work with Tod Williams includes a new museum for the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, a performing and visual arts center at the University of Chicago, the Asia Society headquarters in Hong Kong, an information technology campus in Mumbai, India, two new skating rinks in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, a dormitory at Haverford College and a bioengineering laboratory at Princeton University. She and Tod Williams have received the Brunner Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Medal of Honor from the New York City AIA, and the Chrysler Award for Design Innovation. The partners have also been honored with The Cooper Hewitt's National Design Award in Architecture and the President’s Medal from the Architectural League of New York. Billie Tsien maintains an interest in work that bridges the realms of art and architecture. She serves on the advisory council for the Yale School of Architecture, and is a Director of the Public Art Fund, the Architectural League of New York, and the American Academy is Rome, where she was in residence during 1999.